Filmmaker Magazine » Cinematographyhttp://filmmakermagazine.com
The Official Blog of Filmmaker MagazineSat, 01 Aug 2015 22:14:08 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Rachel Morrison Talks Dope, Her Favorite Shot and Career as a Cinematographerhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/95066-rachel-morrison-talks-dope-her-favorite-shot-and-career-as-a-cinematographer/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/95066-rachel-morrison-talks-dope-her-favorite-shot-and-career-as-a-cinematographer/#commentsMon, 27 Jul 2015 16:12:32 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=95066As the second largest film festival in Germany, Filmfest München programs a large German slate and a range of international titles. In addition to the Alexander Payne retrospective and homage to Andy Warhol’s cinematic experiments, this year’s festival highlighted an assortment of U.S. films. Picked up by Open Road Films and Sony Pictures at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Rick Famuyiwa’s Dope had its German premiere in Munich. Below is my conversation with cinematographer Rachel Morrison. Filmmaker: How did you decide to become a cinematographer? Morrison: I grew up with a still camera in my hand, determined I could freeze […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/95066-rachel-morrison-talks-dope-her-favorite-shot-and-career-as-a-cinematographer/feed/0Blackmagic NYC: Shiny Happy Peoplehttp://filmmakermagazine.com/95028-blackmagic-nyc-shiny-happy-people/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/95028-blackmagic-nyc-shiny-happy-people/#commentsThu, 23 Jul 2015 13:00:06 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=95028My biggest takeaway from this year’s New York Blackmagic Event is that the people at Blackmagic are really, really happy. I could dive into a detailed rundown of all the tech specs of their latest products, most of which are easily available online, but, honestly, having gone to this event for the past three years, the most important thing I got from it all was the tone. After five years of hard work, they know they’re nearing the point where it all comes together. Over the next several months, we’ll see the releases of Da Vinci Resolve 12, Fusion for […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/95028-blackmagic-nyc-shiny-happy-people/feed/2Test Footage of the GoPro HERO4 Sessionhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/94788-test-footage-of-the-gopro-hero4-session/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/94788-test-footage-of-the-gopro-hero4-session/#commentsMon, 06 Jul 2015 19:19:30 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=94788Today GoPro announced the release of their first brand new camera in nine years: the GoPro HERO4 Session. The reviews trickling in thus far are fairly positive, despite noting the trade offs that accompany a design that is 40% smaller than the current HERO4 line. (For starters, the camera will reorient itself based off a 180 degree axis, but it cannot rotate at a 90 degree angle.) On the plus side, the Session comes waterproof (up to 33 feet) straight out of the box, and has an in-camera microphone that drains as you move from liquid to air. It’s available July 12 for […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/94788-test-footage-of-the-gopro-hero4-session/feed/0PolarPro Has Tons of Clever Rigs for the GoPro Action Shooterhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93820-polarpro-has-tons-of-clever-rigs-for-the-gopro-action-shooter/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93820-polarpro-has-tons-of-clever-rigs-for-the-gopro-action-shooter/#commentsSun, 19 Apr 2015 13:54:00 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93820I know, another company with more GoPro accessories. At first I was skeptical that I’d see something new, but as someone who dives and hikes, just about everything I saw from PolarPro solved a lot of mounting and accessibility problems I’ve had in the outdoors, from keeping the camera quickly accessible to adding extra power. It’s not much of a surprise these are well thought out accessories. Company founder Jeff Overall is an action sports enthusiast himself and was looking for a decent polarizing filter for his GoPro for snowboarding. When he couldn’t find one he made it and started PolarPro during his […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93820-polarpro-has-tons-of-clever-rigs-for-the-gopro-action-shooter/feed/0DIY Previs: Developer Dan Fearing on ShotProhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93698-diy-previs-dan-fearing-on-shotpro/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93698-diy-previs-dan-fearing-on-shotpro/#commentsThu, 16 Apr 2015 18:00:56 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93698Just as pencil-and-paper storyboarding has by and large given way to computer-based previsualization software, high-end previs suites are now confronting much more budget-friendly software and apps. The newest of these is ShotPro, an iOS app from WebGames3D.com that premiered on the App Store late last year. Developed by Dan Fearing and a small team of Sacramento-based designers and coders, ShotPro already looks like a game changer in the world of DIY previsualization. It launched loaded with characters, props, settings, lights and even lenses, and two updates have already followed, adding scalability for onscreen items, animatable cameras, new camera models, moveable keyframes and other features. Version 1.5 […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93698-diy-previs-dan-fearing-on-shotpro/feed/1Solo Smart Drone Creates Virtual Second Operatorhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93780-solo-smart-drone-creates-virtual-second-operator/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93780-solo-smart-drone-creates-virtual-second-operator/#commentsTue, 14 Apr 2015 18:01:07 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93780While news of another GoPro drone being released may not seem too exciting, 3D Robotics’ new Solo drone has some incredibly smart features that set it apart from everything currently on the market. Anyone who’s operated or dealt with a drone on a shoot soon realizes that to get very complex camera moves you need two operators — one to pilot the drone and one to control the camera. Solo is able to automate some of the tasks of piloting and camera control so a single shooter can get some incredible shots. Check out the video below for an idea of […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93780-solo-smart-drone-creates-virtual-second-operator/feed/0Aputure DEC Adapter Turns Still Lenses into Smooth Remote Follow Focus Systemhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93757-aputure-dec-adapter-turns-still-lenses-into-smooth-remote-follow-focus-system/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93757-aputure-dec-adapter-turns-still-lenses-into-smooth-remote-follow-focus-system/#commentsMon, 13 Apr 2015 13:17:56 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93757It’s that time of year again for a slew of new cameras and gear to be revealed at NAB. I’m out at the show for my second year in a row, writing about new gear throughout the week on the site. I’ve got an interest in gear I’d use myself, for single shooter setups and low budget productions. But if there’s something you’d like to see covered, just reach out to me on Twitter or comment here. One new device I saw that really solves a lot of problems for the one-man band shooter is the DEC Adapter from Aputure. […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93757-aputure-dec-adapter-turns-still-lenses-into-smooth-remote-follow-focus-system/feed/0Fotodiox’s GoTough Filters Add More Image Control to Your GoProhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93747-fotodioxs-gotough-filters-add-more-image-control-to-your-gopro/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93747-fotodioxs-gotough-filters-add-more-image-control-to-your-gopro/#commentsMon, 13 Apr 2015 04:39:35 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93747While GoPros shoot great action footage, there’s some effects you may want that can only be achieved through filters. Fotodiox offers a filter set and mount to offer more control over your GoPro image with their GoTough filter adapter and WonderPana filters. I tested out a set with the HERO 3+. The kit really depends on the housing used, so it can work with a HERO3 or HERO4 too and there’s an adapter for older HERO3 housings. The kit comes with a 53mm filter adapter, UV, ND8, and a polarizer filter. Because of GoPro’s auto settings you won’t see much of […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93747-fotodioxs-gotough-filters-add-more-image-control-to-your-gopro/feed/0Domke Journalist Series Next Gen Camera Bag Reviewhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93738-domke-journalist-series-next-gen-camera-bag/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93738-domke-journalist-series-next-gen-camera-bag/#commentsMon, 13 Apr 2015 00:14:43 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93738If there ever was a piece of gear that I’ve experienced a Goldilocks dilemma with, it’s my camera bag. Or bags: different jobs call for different bags and configurations, so I’ve gathered a few over the years. Recently I’ve gotten to put a classic through real world use, the Chronicle from Domke’s updated Next Generation Journalist Series. Domke is an iconic camera bag you usually see slung around the shoulders of journalists out in the field (or movies, like The Bang Bang Club). The Chronicle is a medium sized bag that feels extremely sturdy and well built. It’s got a […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93738-domke-journalist-series-next-gen-camera-bag/feed/0Offload Review – Red Giant Securely Transfers Your Mediahttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93744-offload-review-red-giant-securely-transfers-your-media/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93744-offload-review-red-giant-securely-transfers-your-media/#commentsMon, 13 Apr 2015 00:14:25 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93744There’s a lot less to worry about when transferring footage off your camera than during the days of film (light leaks, scratches, unspooling, developing errors). But the copying of 1s and 0s from one form of media to another isn’t always flawless, and with the amount of files generated, organization is key. To help with the process, Red Giant has released Offload – a very basic piece of software that serves one purpose – get the footage off your media cards and onto hard drives quickly and securely. Now, this isn’t the first piece of software to do this. I’ve been […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93744-offload-review-red-giant-securely-transfers-your-media/feed/0How Stanley Kubrick Shot Barry Lyndon Using Natural Lighthttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93683-how-stanley-kubrick-shot-barry-lyndon-using-natural-light/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93683-how-stanley-kubrick-shot-barry-lyndon-using-natural-light/#commentsFri, 03 Apr 2015 17:44:58 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93683Earlier this week we posted this video with Joe Dunton discussing the lenses used by Stanley Kubrick in his films. (Note: unfortunately, that previous video has been removed by the uploader.) Here’s the next in a Kubrick cinematography playlist: various cinematographers on his use of the BNC camera and Zeiss f/0.7 lenses to shoot Barry Lyndon in natural light. (As a reader below notes, this is an excerpt from Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures, which is recommended viewing.) Previously at Filmmaker, Jim Hemphill sat down with three of the film’s actors for a discussion of the making of that […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93683-how-stanley-kubrick-shot-barry-lyndon-using-natural-light/feed/3Panavision’s Dan Sasaki on their Large Format Digital Lenses, the Primo 70http://filmmakermagazine.com/93508-panavisions-dan-sasaki-on-their-large-format-digital-lenses-the-primo-70/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93508-panavisions-dan-sasaki-on-their-large-format-digital-lenses-the-primo-70/#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 15:50:21 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93508Late last year Panavision introduced a new lens line, the Primo 70. These lenses are specifically designed for use on larger sensor digital cameras and, according to Panavision, cannot be used on film cameras. We spoke with Dan Sasaki, VP of Optical Engineering at Panavision, about the development of these lenses, and how they differ from film lenses. Filmmaker: What was the impetus for developing digital lenses? Sasaki: Our Primo 35 lenses have been around since the late ’80s, early ’90s, and they are designed to work with film cameras. The Primo lenses have what’s called the blue line shift on […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93508-panavisions-dan-sasaki-on-their-large-format-digital-lenses-the-primo-70/feed/1Shooting Romance in NYC with the iPhone 6http://filmmakermagazine.com/93144-shooting-romance-in-nyc-with-the-iphone-6/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93144-shooting-romance-in-nyc-with-the-iphone-6/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 22:32:54 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93144Here’s a nifty behind-the-scenes featurette on the iPhone 6 shooting of Tristan Pope‘s short film, Romance in NYC. The film is shot entirely from the first-person perspective, like Lady in the Lake and Enter the Void, and the mobility of the iPhone enabled the director/camera operator to play the role of the first-person protagonist. As you’ll see in the video, Pope lets his own hands and arms enter and exit frame, aided by variety of gear — including a Gorillapod — as well as well-choreographed production assistants.]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93144-shooting-romance-in-nyc-with-the-iphone-6/feed/3Filmmakers, Learn How the FAA Plans to Regulate Drone Filmmakinghttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93127-faa-proposes-drone-regulations/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93127-faa-proposes-drone-regulations/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 14:00:03 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93127For over a year the FAA has been fighting a rearguard action against the proliferation of drones. The agency has had regulations in place stating that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) — also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or drones — can’t be used for commercial purposes, and they have mostly pursued a policy of “educational chats” for people who have caught their attention (typically videos on YouTube that get picked up by the media). Their bark hasn’t been without some bite, too. In one case they fined a pilot $10,000 for flying a drone through the University of Virginia. Interestingly, […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93127-faa-proposes-drone-regulations/feed/0Quyen Tran on Shooting Frankie Shaw’s Sundance-Winning SMILFhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/92623-quyen-tran-on-shooting-frankie-shaws-sundance-winning-smilf/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/92623-quyen-tran-on-shooting-frankie-shaws-sundance-winning-smilf/#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 19:00:21 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=92623Frankie Shaw’s short film SMILF won the Short Film Jury Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It’s a funny and revealing comedy about a young mom struggling to connect to her old sexual self while being homebound caring for her young son. L.A.-based cinematographer Quyen Tran shot the film, and below she discusses shooting coverage with only one actor, working with one light and filming while nearly nine months pregnant. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/92623-quyen-tran-on-shooting-frankie-shaws-sundance-winning-smilf/feed/1Cinematographers Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk on Shooting the Sundance-Winning Doc, Meruhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93099-cinematographers-jimmy-chin-and-renan-ozturk-on-shooting-the-sundance-winning-doc-meru/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93099-cinematographers-jimmy-chin-and-renan-ozturk-on-shooting-the-sundance-winning-doc-meru/#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 18:00:33 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93099Over a period of years, three climbers — Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk — make repeated efforts to scale a 21,000 foot peak in Northern India, Mount Meru. Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Meru is the chronicle of that quest, a story of not just mountain-climbing athleticism but also friendship and camaraderie. The winner of the U.S. Documentary Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Meru, strikingly, was lensed by two of the film’s three climbers, with one of them suffering severe injuries on the climb — an accident that is part of the film’s story. Below, […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93099-cinematographers-jimmy-chin-and-renan-ozturk-on-shooting-the-sundance-winning-doc-meru/feed/0Director/Cinematographer Matthew Heineman on Shooting Sundance Award-Winning Doc Cartel Landhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93097-directorcinematographer-matthew-heineman-on-shooting-sundance-award-winning-doc-cartel-land/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93097-directorcinematographer-matthew-heineman-on-shooting-sundance-award-winning-doc-cartel-land/#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 17:00:56 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93097A tense, cinematically-styled verite documentary about the Mexican drug wars, Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land was one of the big winners at Sundance this year, nabbing both the Directing and Cinematography Awards. Strikingly, both positions were filled by the same person: Matthew Heineman, who also produced and edited. (For Cartel Land, Heineman shares the d.p. credit with Matt Porwoll.) Below, the multi-hyphenate talks about why, for him, shooting isn’t entirely about the image; why being his own d.p. calmed him down during the tenser moments of production; and the benefits of capturing a flat image through Canon Log. Filmmaker: How and […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93097-directorcinematographer-matthew-heineman-on-shooting-sundance-award-winning-doc-cartel-land/feed/0Cinematographer Ben Lichty on Shooting the Greenpeace Doc, How to Change the Worldhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/93093-cinematographer-ben-lichty-on-shooting-how-to-change-the-world/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93093-cinematographer-ben-lichty-on-shooting-how-to-change-the-world/#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 16:00:06 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93093A “hippie heist movie-turned-high sea adventure” is how Sundance describes Jerry Rothwell’s Sundance award-winning documentary How to Change the World, about the early days of the Greenpeace movement. Below, cinematographer Ben Lichty describes mixing interview with archival footage, creating “visual variety” and shooting with the RED Epic. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Lichty: When I first heard about How to Change the World and the story the film would explore, I really wanted to be a […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93093-cinematographer-ben-lichty-on-shooting-how-to-change-the-world/feed/1Kit: 10 Favorite Tech Innovations of 2014 (And Perhaps 2015)http://filmmakermagazine.com/93000-kit-10-favorite-innovations-2014-and-perhaps-2015/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/93000-kit-10-favorite-innovations-2014-and-perhaps-2015/#commentsMon, 09 Feb 2015 10:04:36 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=93000I fall into that category of independent filmmaker who, as the need exists, writes, produces, directs, shoots, records sound, edits, even grades their own footage. (What we used to call color correction.) Then again, often times I’m “just” the DP. 2014 was my busiest year ever, and at some point I found myself taking on each of these basic roles. As a result, the scope of my “kit” is necessarily broad, encompassing both production and post. (Kit is a Britishism for one’s working collection of gear, a name I intend to lend to a series of brief tech reviews in […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/93000-kit-10-favorite-innovations-2014-and-perhaps-2015/feed/1Film Emulation: Behind the Scenes of the Short Old/Newhttp://filmmakermagazine.com/92953-film-emulation-behind-the-scenes-of-the-short-oldnew/
http://filmmakermagazine.com/92953-film-emulation-behind-the-scenes-of-the-short-oldnew/#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 15:34:34 +0000http://filmmakermagazine.com/?p=92953Red Giant has released a new short from Seth Worley called Old/New. Over the past few years Worley has produced a number of imaginative short films on a limited budget that tell a great story and also – somehow – manage to demonstrate the use of Red Giant’s software. Cue the announcement of new software from Red Giant. Red Giant has also released Magic Bullet Suite 12, their collection of color correction and finishing tools. This release brings new features to the applications that make up the suite, as well as a new product: Magic Bullet Film. One of the focuses of this […]]]>http://filmmakermagazine.com/92953-film-emulation-behind-the-scenes-of-the-short-oldnew/feed/2